Standard Lemma guide

abolitionist

adj · noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌæ.bəˈlɪʃ.n̩.ɪst/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˌæ.bəˈlɪʃ.n̩.ɪst/
  • US: /ˌæ.bəˈlɪʃ.n̩.əst/
  • CMU ARPABET: AE2 B AH0 L IH1 SH AH0 N AH0 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

In favor of the abolition of any particular institution or practice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

In favor of the abolition of any particular institution or practice.

In favor of the abolition of slavery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of any particular institution or practice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of any particular institution or practice.

A person favoring or advocating for the abolition of slavery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, especially, historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a reformer who favors abolishing slavery

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: emancipationist

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reformer, reformist, crusader, social reformer, meliorist

Narrower terms: Beecher, Henry Ward Beecher, Brown, John Brown, Douglass, Frederick Douglass, Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, Stowe, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe, Tappan, Arthur Tappan, Truth, Sojourner Truth, Tubman, Harriet Tubman, Weld, Theodore Dwight Weld

History

Etymology

First attested in 1788. abolition + -ist.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: abolizionista — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Belarusian: абаліцыянісцкі (abalicyjaniscki) — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Bulgarian: аболиционистки (abolicionistki) — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Czech: abolicionistický — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Finnish: orjuudenvastainen — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • German: abolitionistisch — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Norwegian Bokmål: abolisjonistisk — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Polish: abolicjonistyczny — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Russian: аболиционистский (abolicionistskij) — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Slovak: abolicionistický — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Spanish: abolicionista — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Ukrainian: аболіціоні́стський (abolicionístsʹkyj) — in favor of the abolition of slavery
  • Asturian: abolicionista — person who favors the abolition
  • Belarusian: абаліцыяніст (abalicyjanist) — person who favors the abolition
  • Catalan: abolicionista — person who favors the abolition
  • Chinese Cantonese: 廢除主義者 /废除主义者 (fai3 ceoi4 zyu2 ji6 ze2) — person who favors the abolition
  • Chinese Cantonese: 廢奴主義者 /废奴主义者 (fai3 nou4 zyu2 ji6 ze2) — person who favors the abolition
  • Chinese Mandarin: 廢除主義者 /废除主义者 (fèichúzhǔyìzhě) — person who favors the abolition
  • Chinese Mandarin: 廢奴主義者 /废奴主义者 (fèinúzhǔyìzhě) — person who favors the abolition
  • Dutch: abolitionist — person who favors the abolition
  • Esperanto: aboliciisto — person who favors the abolition
  • Finnish: abolitionisti — person who favors the abolition
  • French: abolitionniste — person who favors the abolition
  • Galician: abolicionista — person who favors the abolition
  • Italian: abolizionista — person who favors the abolition
  • Norwegian Bokmål: abolisjonist — person who favors the abolition
  • Polish: abolicjonista — person who favors the abolition
  • Polish: abolicjonistka — person who favors the abolition
  • Portuguese: abolicionista — person who favors the abolition
  • Romanian: aboliționist — person who favors the abolition
  • Russian: аболиционист (abolicionist) — person who favors the abolition
  • Spanish: abolicionista — person who favors the abolition
  • Ukrainian: аболіціоніст (abolicionist) — person who favors the abolition
  • Ukrainian: аболіціоністка (abolicionistka) — person who favors the abolition
Real reading context

abolitionist in complete knowledge articles